27 février 2020 | International, Terrestre

Industrie : Lourds investissements chez Thales à Saint-Héand

Par Stéphanie Gallo Triouleyre

Créée par Pierre Angénieux en 1932, autour des zooms pour le cinéma et la télévision, puis rachetée en 1994 par le groupe Thales, l'entreprise de Saint-Héand dans la Loire réalise aujourd'hui 4/5e de sa production dans le secteur de la Défense. Elle vient justement de démarrer les livraisons de ses nouvelles jumelles de vision nocturne O-NYX à l'armée de Terre. Elle investit par ailleurs lourdement pour développer l'ensemble de ses activités.

La Direction Générale des Armées avait notifié à Thales le marché des jumelles O-nyx fin 2017, la première livraison est intervenue il y a quelques semaines. Ces jumelles de vision nocturnes sont destinées à remplacer progressivement les jumelles Lucie qui équipaient jusqu'ici l'Armée de terre et qui étaient déjà fabriquées par Thales Saint-Héand (ex Thales Angénieux avant la réorganisation des sites Thales) dans la Loire.

"Nous sommes partis d'un équipement dont nous disposions pour codévelopper avec la DGA et les utilisateurs. Nous sommes parvenus à des jumelles plus ergonomiques, plus légères (340 grammes NDLR) et plus performantes que celles qui équipent déjà les Forces Françaises", signale Delphine Cabaton, responsable commerciale du projet O-nyx.

Plus de 3.500 paires ont d'ores et déjà été commandées.

15 000 unités sur 7 ans

Le marché court sur 7 ans et devrait s'accompagner de 1 000 à 2 000 commandes par an, soit au total entre 10 000 et 15 000 équipements O-nyx fabriqués par le site ligérien du groupe Thales. Secret défense oblige, impossible de connaitre le montant du marché. En revanche, Bertrand Boismoreau, directeur d'établissement, souligne l'importance de cet accord :

"Nous avons coutume de dire que lorsque l'Armée française investit un euro chez nous, la France gagne deux euros à l'export. L'Armée française a une réputation d'exigence absolue. Si elle commande chez nous, c'est un signal fort pour les armées du monde entier".

Pour renforcer ses positions auprès de ce client de premier ordre, Thales Saint-Héand travaille d'ailleurs actuellement sur un appel d'offres de la DGA concernant de nouveaux équipements binoculaires. Elle avait déjà fourni depuis deux ans, 1 000 autres jumelles de vision nocturne aux forces spéciales et avait contribué depuis 10 ans au marché Félin (12.000 équipements de jumelles connectées). Des marchés conséquents à chaque fois et qui ont un impact sur le tissu économique régional puisque le site sous-traite 80% de la valeur de ses équipements.

"La jumelle O-Nyx nécessite une douzaine de techniques de fabrication comme la plasturgie ou l'usinage mécanique. Nous nous basons pour cela sur l'expertise des PME locales", explique Benjamin Fournel, responsable d'industrialisation.

Il cite par exemple Sagne, Modertech, HEF etc.

A l'occasion du marché O-nyx, l'usine de Saint-Héand a décidé par ailleurs d'entrer plus fermement dans l'ère de l'industrie 4.0. Elle a ainsi développé des bancs de test, permettant notamment de caractériser la qualité optique de la jumelle.

"Jusqu'ici, les opérateurs devaient vérifier la qualité de nos jumelles à l'oeil. C'est un travail fatigant et sujet à des variations de performance. Ces bancs de test automatisés permettent de simplifier le travail de nos collaborateurs et de fiabiliser la qualité de nos produits", se réjouit Benjamin Fournel.

Le montant de l'investissement n'est pas communiqué.

Croissance

Thales ne communique pas non plus précisément sur les volumes d'activité de chacun de ses sites, mais Saint-Héand générerait un chiffre d'affaires de l'ordre de 100 millions d'euros, avec 350 salariés. C'est 20% et 50 personnes de plus qu'il y a deux ans. Le marché O-nyx contribue évidemment à cette progression mais Thales Angénieux se déploie par ailleurs sur d'autres sujets. Notamment sur les optiques cinéma, production historique pour laquelle elle est mondialement connue. Celle-ci représente aujourd'hui 20 à 25% de son activité.

Plusieurs millions d'euros sont en train d'être investis par l'entreprise pour développer une nouvelle gamme d'optiques à focale fixe, marché sur lequel elle n'était pas, ou peu, présente jusqu'ici, privilégiant les zooms.

"Les tournages de film nécessitent souvent des zooms et des focales fixes. D'autres acteurs étaient bien positionnés sur les focales fixes mais les nouveaux formats nous remettent sur la même ligne de départ. L'idée est de proposer aux cinéastes de pouvoir tourner l'intégralité de leurs films avec des produits Angénieux, avec en plus des fonctionnalités très différenciantes : nos appareils sont plus compacts, plus légers, avec des possibilités de personnalisation de filtres", expose le directeur d'établissement, Bertrand Boismoreau.

Une gamme de 12 focales est en cours de préparation, sachant que "plusieurs millions d'euros d'investissement" sont nécessaires au développement de chacune des focales. Un investissement colossal donc mais qui devrait permettre à Thales Angénieux, sous 10 ans, de viser un marché complémentaire de 100 millions d'euros.

Nouvelle ligne de production

Enfin, le site ligérien va être encore renforcé dans les prochains mois. Le groupe Thales lui confie en effet la production de nouvelles caméras infrarouge pour le secteur de la Défense. Elles ont été codéveloppées avec un site parisien du groupe. Une nouvelle ligne de production est en cours d'installation. Elle sera inaugurée début avril.

"Les investissements sont très lourds", signale Bertrand Boismoreau, sans pouvoir, là-encore, donner d'indication trop précise. A terme, "plusieurs dizaines de personnes" pourraient être recrutées pour assurer la production de ces nouvelles caméras, "en fonction de leur succès commercial".

https://acteursdeleconomie.latribune.fr/strategie/2020-02-26/industrie-lourds-investissements-chez-thales-a-saint-heand-840652.html

Sur le même sujet

  • Coast Guard Wants Better Internet on Its Ships, and More Recruits

    2 août 2022 | International, Naval, C4ISR

    Coast Guard Wants Better Internet on Its Ships, and More Recruits

    Commandant Fagan ties increased connectivity to operational needs and improving Coasties’ quality of life.

  • KC-46 cargo solution still ‘months’ away

    13 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    KC-46 cargo solution still ‘months’ away

    By: Aaron Mehta and Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force expects to resolve a safety issue with the cargo capability of its KC-46A Pegasus tanker within “months,” the service's top acquisition official said Tuesday. Will Roper said he is “confident” the issue would get fixed and that the problem,— which has led the Air Force to stop the tankers from flying with cargo in their holds — was not his top concern for the Boeing-made plane. “The issue with the locks was identified. We're working options currently with Boeing and their supplier,” Roper said at a breakfast hosted by the Defense Writers Group. “We're looking to our operators to tell us which one of the solutions that have been identified is the one that they prefer." In September, Defense News first reported that the KC-46 was restricted from carrying either cargo or people in the back of the aircraft. The restriction was set after a recent flight where cargo locks on the bottom of the aircraft's floor became unlocked, creating concerns that airmen could be hurt or killed by heavy equipment that suddenly bursts free during a flight. It has been a rough year for the KC-46. The Air Force suspended KC-46 flights at Boeing's production line in Everett, Washington, this February after finding debris. Then it paused all tanker deliveries in March as the service investigated the extent of the problem. The service began accepting tankers again later that month, only for deliveries to stop — and restart — in April due to similar problems. The cargo issue represents the fourth category 1 deficiency for the tanker, and the issues are becoming increasingly expensive for Boeing: The company is locked into a fixed-price contract, which means it is responsible for paying for a expenses beyond the initial $4.9 billion award for development of the aircraft. So far, the company has paid more than $3.5 billion of its own money to fund corrections to ongoing technical issues. The other three issues are: The remote vision system, or RVS — the camera system that allows KC-46 boom operators to steer the boom into a receiver aircraft without having to look out a window and use visual cues — provides imagery in certain lighting conditions that appears warped or misleading. Boeing has agreed to pay for potentially extensive hardware and software fixes, but the Air Force believes it could be up to four years until the system is fully functional. The Air Force has recorded instances of the boom scraping against the airframe of receiver aircraft. Boeing and the Air Force believe this problem is a symptom of the RVS' acuity problems, and that the problem will be eliminated once the camera system is fixed. Boeing must redesign the boom to accommodate the A-10 plane, which currently does not generate the thrust necessary to push into the boom for refueling. This problem is a requirements change by the Air Force, which approved Boeing's design in 2016. Last month, Boeing received a $55.5 million contract to begin work on the new boom actuator. Roper said the cargo issue “goes into the kind of normal deficiency space” and noted that it's the type of issue that is discovered by the normal testing process. The more long-term issues, such as the remote visual system, are “the areas I keep the most focus on,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/11/12/kc-46-cargo-solution-still-months-away/

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 16, 2018

    18 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 16, 2018

    DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY ViON Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a competitive, single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for SPARC processor capacity services with a total lifecycle contract amount of $329,586,627. The minimum guarantee for this effort, which is being met by the first delivery order under HC1084-19-D-0001, is $630,000, funded by fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds. Performance will be at current Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) data centers or future DISA centers in the continental U.S. (CONUS); DISA outside CONUS data centers; and other DISA or DISA-approved locations worldwide in which DISA may acquire an operational responsibility. Proposals were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website (FEDBIZOPPS), and two proposals were received. The period of performance is for a base period of five years beginning Oct. 17, 2018, and five one-year option periods through Oct. 16, 2028. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1084-19-D-0001). NAVY The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $136,999,356 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-18-D-0113). This modification provides CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot maintenance and repair, field assessment, maintenance repair and overhaul engine repair, and technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia (94 percent); and Seattle, Washington (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California, is awarded a $136,753,425 undefinitized contract action on a not-to-exceed basis for the procurement of long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support for the Expeditionary Sea Base 6. This action allows the procurement of ship sets of the purchase specifications supporting integrated propulsion, main diesel generator engines, propeller and shafting, integrated bridge electronics, centrifugal pumps, fuel and lube oil purifiers and steering gear components. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (21 percent); Beloit, Wisconsin (19 percent); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (17 percent); various cities in Alabama and Iowa (9 percent); Chula Vista, California (5 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (5 percent); Iron Mountain, Michigan (4 percent); Busan, Korea (3 percent); and various other locations totaling 17 percent, and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $65,876,713 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with U.S. Code 2304(c) (1) – only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. StandardAero Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is being awarded $121,890,824 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-18-D-0110). This modification provides CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot maintenance and repair, field assessment, maintenance repair and overhaul engine repair, and technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (93 percent); and San Antonia, Texas (7 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $33,025,575 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-18-D-0112). This modification provides P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, depot in-service repair planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, ground support and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia (94 percent); and Seattle, Washington (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AAR Aircraft Services Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded $32,784,405 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-18-D-0111). This modification provides P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, depot in-service repair planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, ground support and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in October 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, is awarded $28,694,621 for firm-fixed-price task order N6945019F0500 under a previously awarded global contingency service multiple award contract (N62742-16-D-3552) for base operations support services at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services to include family housing, facility management, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, other (swimming pools), grounds maintenance and landscaping, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, water, and base support vehicles and equipment. The task order also contains two unexercised six-month option periods, which if exercised would increase the cumulative task order value to $59,727,709. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy, Army and Defense Agencies); fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds; and fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program contract funds in the amount of $21,483,790 for recurring work will be obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. EDO LLC, Amityville, New York, is awarded $7,751,952 for modification P00009 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable contract (N00019-17-C-0029). This modification provides for the procurement of four carriage system simulators, nine BRU-55B/A engineering change proposal kits, 30 joint miniature munition interface / universal armament interface capable umbilical cables, and non-recurring engineering for the universal armament interface to include parts, testing, labor and travel in support of the Precision Strike Weapons program office. Work will be performed in Amityville, New York, and is expected to be completed in June 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,751,952 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Aseptico Inc.,* Woodinville, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $28,500,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with 53 responses received; 16 contracts have been awarded to date. Using customers are Department of Defense and other federal organizations. Location of performance is Washington, with an Oct. 15, 2023, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0004). *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1663723/source/GovDelivery/

Toutes les nouvelles